The Harmony Unleashed Saga
The Harmony Unleashed Saga is a comic science fantasy mixed media franchise that are set on a fictional franchise-built universe since the YouTube Poop: TV Series. It is mostly based on the My Little Pony franchise by Hasbro, mainly Friendship Is Magic and Equestria Girls, and the YouTube Poop television series, which ended in 2013. It is an alternate non-canon metaverse spin-off of the My Little Pony G4 series. The film and television franchise is a satire of superhero action films with a mixture of comedy and action, and a combination of live-action and animation, revolving the themes of bonds with human and animal characters and the whole "Boy and his Pony" dynamic Background First Harmony Unleashed On the launch/rebrand from Toonami to NaruIchi97 Television, the relaunch was celebrated with a full hour special event called Harmony Unleashed for YouTube Poop: The Series, acting as a two-parter special event. Expansion from the Episode At first, during the time YouTube Poop: The Series was still running, Lionsgate Television announced a telefilm called "Harmony Unleashed: Evolution" set for a Summer 2012 release. The films started in 2012 after the production and development of Evolution, which, it was a successor to a scrapped YouTube Poop TV series special event, that was supposed to be its second installment. As of 2013, Aaron Montalvo was inspired by the Marvel Cinematic Universe, X-Men film series and the DC Extended Universe as in having spin-off installments that connect to the films' continuity and Dave Polsky will be the story consultant alongside Montalvo and Koichi Sakamoto as the film will consist of different directors for its spin-offs while Sakamoto helms the main course until Somber Awakening, with Chris Weitz, Mike Mitchell, Ridd Sorensen and Aaron Montalvo set to direct future main course films. Crew The set of producers who remain unchanged were Montalvo, Japanese director Koichi Sakamoto (Power Rangers, Kamen Rider), and Allspark's Brian Goldner (G.I. Joe, Battleship), Stephen Davis (Equestria Girls). From 2012 to 2017, the first set of producers who worked with Montalvo were Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci, who previously worked on Hasbro-related media such as the Transformers films and Transformers: Prime. Since their split, they have been replaced by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay of Gary Sanchez Productions, which the latter was inspired from the visuals of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. They have lasted from 2018 to 2019, where they have gone their separate ways. However, despite this and the fact that McKay and Messick have made a deal with Paramount Pictures under Hyperobject Industries, they will remain as producers but Ferrell won't produce despite being part of the cast as Night Light Sparkle. Voice actress Tara Strong, who voiced Twilight Sparkle, will be involved in the producer's stable through her Taralicious Enterprises banner starting with Harmony Unleashed: Foreverlasting and Guardians of Equestria: Lasting Resort. Her husband Craig Strong and Modern Family writer Danny Zuker will join the franchise as executive producers. Distribution Lionsgate Era (2012-2017) The first film and the seventh-and-a-half/season premiere film of Alicorn Alter were distributed by Lionsgate Television. From 2012 to 2017, the films were distributed by Lionsgate, with spin-offs co-distributed by its subsidiaries such as Summit Entertainment (CDF, Humanitarian) and Pantelion Films (Harmony Jaeger). Lionsgate Premiere released the Guardians of Equestria Season 3 (Alicorn Alter) special event as a feature film for a limited theatrical and on demand/streaming services on November 2015 after the television and home video release. 20th Century Fox/20th Century Studios Era (2018-present) After the underperformance of Power Rangers and My Little Pony: The Movie, as well as their algorithm of 2D-only releases that made it financial failures (such as Hellboy 2019 and Kin), Montalvo decided to cut ties with Lionsgate as distributor for Future Harmony Unleashed films, and later on they plan to have Paramount Pictures distribute future films. However, as Disney seems unstoppable box-office wise with 3D releases of tentpole films and buyout of Fox, Montalvo made a deal with 20th Century Fox to distribute the films under both the distribution of Fox and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, starting with Humanitarian Combat. By surprise, with co-distribution by Fox, Netflix co-distributes the holiday special film of 2018. Montalvo Releasing's Co-operative Distribution with Disney's Fox Studio (2019-present) In Fall 2019, After HolCom's film subsidiary HolCom Films is now rebranded into Montalvo Releasing and Disney's sudden change with the Fox division, it has been announced that they will make a deal with Disney to co-distribute films with Fox as well as being the main North American distributor while Fox and Disney's Buena Vista International label will distribute the film in Latin America, Europe, Australia, and Asia (Except Japan, which the distribution rights will go to Toei Company and Bandai Namco Arts co-operating with Fox and Montalvo Releasing). Since 2020, as Disney rebranded Fox as 20th Century Studios, Montalvo and Disney still retain their dual distribution deal. Cable & Streaming Deals The cable rights were helmed by Hollowfox Entertainment's AM-Networks (now HolCom Networks) under licenses from Lionsgate as if he feels like the universe won't be consistently connected with other channels such as HBO and Epix, who has both Summit and Lionsgate separated from each other through the network's deals. The rights are still in HCN indefinitely for the time being, but the cable rights will be set to air as second-run on channels such as Showtime, HBO, FX, TNT, AMC, etc. In 2019, In the wake of the streaming wars, Montalvo, HolCom Networks and Netflix approached into a deal to purchase the first-run streaming rights to the franchise's television shows and upcoming films, as well as having exclusive streaming rights to past films expanding the deal for future HU films to be in HCN Premium while all films will be streaming on HCN+ and Netflix. Film Slate Television Slate : Other Media After Show Talk Show Since 2014, a live talk show named "Harmony Unleashed: Guardians' Aftermath" is airing on HCNPlay (since 2014 as AMStream) and HCN+ (since 2019), as similar to AMC's Talking Dead and WWE's After Total Divas. The show is hosted by Tara Strong, known for Twilight Sparkle's voice and she discuss episodes of Guardians of Equestria, as well as future episodes of future seasons and Netflix shows with guests. Strong, Craig Strong, Aaron Montalvo, and Koichi Sakamoto are set as the executive producers of the show. Comics TBA Manga Equestria Strikers A manga adaptation named "Equestria Strikers" illustrated by Kana Ishida and written by Riku Sanjo is published by Shueisha's Jump Square on March 2015 and Aaron Montalvo is set as story supervisor and executive producer. The manga is published by Hollowfox Book Media and Yen Press in cooperation with Hasbro. The manga series is considered canon to the films and shows but in a separate continuity. Manga adaptations of Films Shueisha and Hollowfox, in partnership with Bandai and Hasbro, were commissioning manga adaptations of the feature films since 2017. Montalvo is supervising the series, Akira Amano and Akira Himekawa are set to be character designers while the translation from the films will be provided by Riku Sanjo and Yuichiro Kido and the designs illustrated and adapted by Natsuo Sai. Viz Media publishes the adaptations worldwide. Games TBA Category:Franchise Category:Harmony Unleashed Saga